What is the etiquette on sending employers scans of your passport? Its not something I would do, but for some reason most employers in the ME seem to ask for it with your initial application. And a lot of the emails are dodgy hotmail, gmail, or yahoo accounts. Just doesn't sound very safe.

In my experience, reputable employers don't ask for a scan of your passport until after you have been offered a position (they have no need for it before then). The better employers have their own email accounts (ZU, HCT etc.).

If you haven't been offered a job (a written offer on letterhead) then I'd be leary too about sending my passport info to a generic email address.